Yugoslavia, 2003

I am honoured to address

you for the first time on behalf of the State Union of

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Serbia and Montenegro. The State Union of Serbia and

Montenegro was created in the interest of peace,

stability, the democratic right to freedom of choice and

moving quickly to a European track. We have assumed

the responsibility for a policy of non-compromise in

the Balkans. We have assumed the responsibility to

demonstrate that in the region that used to be burdened

with divisions and conflicts it is possible to work out

an agreement that will push us forward together.

We are certain that our lives can be better if all of

us in the region commit to that goal, if all of us in the

region look to the future and if all of us in the region

look to Europe and other people who share the same

goals. That is why we are sure that life can be better for

all peoples.

With this hope, we agree with all who perceive

terrorism as one of the greatest evils facing the world

today. We can defeat terrorism only if we all join

forces. That is why, for us, there is no alternative to

multilateralism, and the United Nations is the guarantor

for that, both today and tomorrow.

Terrorism is not a problem only for the rich

countries, as the Secretary-General said yesterday. It is

a problem for every man and every country, just as it is

a problem for parents who lost their children just

because they chose to swim in a river and belonged to a

different religion and nationality. We deplore the

deaths of those children, the same as we deplore the

terrorist attack in Baghdad, which caused the death of

innocent people, among them Sergio Vieira de Mello.

We condemn these deaths as all humane, civilized and

progressive people do. But that is not enough. We must

strive to ensure that such things happen no more.

The activities of the United Nations in Kosovo

demonstrate that with good intentions on all sides there

is hope for creating preconditions for dialogue, instead

of hatred and conflicts, so that people discuss and

resolve their problems instead of creating new ones.

We are glad that one of the crucial issues for the

stability of this region that of Kosovo is on the

threshold of dialogue, as we have called for.

We have been encouraged by the announcements

of representatives of the United Nations that the

dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina could start by

mid-October and that it has been supported within the

contact group. I hope that it will also be supported in

Pristina, as it is supported in Belgrade. In this

undertaking as well, the role of the United Nations and

its representative in Kosovo is extremely important.

For its part, Serbia and Montenegro will do its

utmost to ensure the success of the dialogue. This is an

opportunity that we must take advantage of, in the

interest of the European and democratic future of the

region. We have to be patient and persistent.

We are aware that we cannot change the past. But

we can do a great deal to improve our present and

future. We seek peace for all people left without their

homes. There are more than 650,000 of them in Serbia

and Montenegro, and we want them to live where they

believe they belong. I am sure that within the

framework of the tripartite agreement with Croatia and

Bosnia and Herzegovina we shall soon find a common

solution that will ultimately resolve that problem.

From our own recent experience we know a lot

about victims and suffering. That is why we call for an

end to violence in all parts of the world in Baghdad

and Iraq, and the Middle East. We are convinced that

the international community and the United Nations,

primarily the Security Council, will find a way to

stabilization and to a life in peace and freedom for all

people. The human race has only one world to live in.

We in Serbia and Montenegro stand ready to contribute

to peace efforts through peace operations, to protect

peace and to defend each nation's right to a democratic

future.

Of course, we are primarily committed to the

stabilization of the situation in the region of the

Western Balkans, cooperation among the countries in

the region, the fight against organized crime and full

cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. No crime should

be left unpunished, and all perpetrators should be

brought to justice. Our goal is to join the process of

European integration as soon as possible, as well as the

Partnership for Peace. The Thessaloniki summit of the

European Union and the countries of the Western

Balkans defined clear goals. Serbia and Montenegro

will not let go of this chance for a European future. We

have a responsibility to create a better, more peaceful

and dignified life for generations to come.

That is an obligation not only for us in Serbia and

That is a motive and force keeping us together in the

United Nations to do all we can so that good may

prevail over evil, peace over conflicts, democracy over

dictatorship and economic prosperity over poverty. We

can do it together. This is not a utopia; it is a realistic

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possibility which will be successful to the extent we

are able to work together. Serbia and Montenegro trusts

it can be done.